Miss Austen's Vampire (5 page)

“I must confess I am stunned.”

“Are you stunned enough to promise me that ride tomorrow?”

Jane looked down and muttered, “Considering what an admirer of my work you are I dare not deny you.” She slowly raised her eyes to his and held his gaze.

This time Gabriel was certain the double meaning was intentional.

Chapter 6

Safely ensconced in her bedchamber later that night, Jane collapsed on the bed. The dinner, while less glamorous than the previous night, was still more elegant than she was accustomed to, and the banter at the table was just as lively and vaguely disconcerting as the afternoon visit had been. Her only relief during the evening had been that she was not seated next to Gabriel. In fact, she was almost as far from him as she could be at the table of nine guests. Yet somehow he had managed to orchestrate the table conversation in such a way that much of it had been centered around the two of them. Each time she attempted to start a more private conversation with her seat partner, Gabriel would interrupt it, making his comments in such a way that everyone had to direct their attention to him. Throughout the dinner Jane saw expressions on Lady Dartfourd’s face that signaled her irritation with her brother’s atrocious manners.

Laying on the bed, watching the play of the candlelight on the ceiling above her, Jane let out a long, slow breath. Gabriel Augustine. Insufferable man. Charming man.

She recalled his smile, directed at her and no one else at the table. Eyes half-closed, he admired her as a lover might. Jane shivered at the memory. She felt something tighten in her abdomen as she brought to mind his eyes on her. Closing her eyes, she remembered the morning in the copse, and gently ran a finger over her lips.

Sitting up abruptly, Jane said, “Jane Austen, you silly woman. Mr. Gabriel Augustine is playing with you as a fisherman might play with a trout on the line. He has no interest in an old spinster. Stop this foolishness now.”

She blew out her breath, got up, and started to undress for bed. The sooner she was asleep and safe from thoughts of Gabriel Augustine, the better.

While Jane was in her room considering her evening, Gabriel was determining how best to quench his thirst. He walked around the gardens near the house, pondering his options. While last night’s kitchen maid had not yet been found, he thought it best not to go back to that well quite so soon. He also decided against any of the house servants. Finding someone in the village was a possibility, though doing so carried with it some risk. He could ride over to his own house and drink from one of his servants. Of course Francis would be there which could complicate that particular option.

Without making a firm decision he mounted Greystone and set off in the direction of Herrifield Court. Earlier he had come to one important decision in regards to his meal. He would not let it include anything sexual. First, to enjoy satisfying that appetite required taking more risks of discovery. Second, it felt wrong after spending a day with the lovely Miss Austen. Being around such purity all day made his carnal lusts seem depraved. No, he would limit himself to the most demanding appetite.

When he found himself outside his house he looked up at the ancient building and sighed. Home. It had been months since his last visit. Since before his change.

The risk of being there was not a wise one to take, but now that he was there Gabriel knew he would have to find sustenance within the estate. His hunger was guiding all his actions now, leaving him with no choices. He dismounted Greystone, and headed to the still lit kitchen. Whoever was so unfortunate to still be working, would be his unwilling donor. Hopefully it was someone who was employed by him prior to his change and who would readily recognize him, making the inevitable that much simpler.

Yes, to be recognized would make the matter simple.

But, of course, it would require that the unwilling donor not be left to share her knowledge afterward.

Following the hasty burial in the woods, Gabriel forced Greystone to gallop the full distance back to Dartfourd. Were his absence to be noticed he would have a difficult time making excuses. Energized by his meal, he leapt off the stallion’s back, hurriedly placed him in a stall, and ran back to the house, letting himself in through a servants’ entrance. He took the stairs three at a time, and entered his room quietly. When he had come in he’d heard some of the guests in the drawing room, but knew that now was not a time for him to be around others.

The blood, a full body’s worth, not only acted to energize him but also awakened his other appetite.

Not just awakened. Made every part of him scream with need.

Hours earlier, during dinner, Gabriel had been able to enjoy the charms of Miss Austen as any human man would have. Yes, he admired her figure, and the way she moved when walking across the room, but mostly he was attracted to her wit and intelligence. He had delighted in the repartee the two of them had engaged in.

But now, under the influence of the feeding, his thoughts of Miss Jane Austen were much more base, carnal. He imagined her naked body moving under his, his chest pressed against her breasts, her legs wrapped around his back. He could hear the sounds she would make as he gave her as much pleasure as he took for himself. More depraved sexual acts crossed his mind as well; acts women like Miss Austen would never have heard of.

Gabriel’s breathing became faster and shallower as each vision led to another more graphic than the last. He stood in the center of his room, afraid to move for fear he would leave the room and go find her bedchamber. Fully aroused, his erection pressed against breeches that now felt much too confining. He closed his eyes, and let the visions wash over him. Some of the acts were ones he had only heard of—had never dared partake of himself, but now he was imagining Miss Austen engaged in these most degenerate of acts.

Forcing his eyes open, Gabriel eyed the sumptuous bed, and slowly made his way to the feather-soft mattress. He fell to his knees, leaned on the bed, and covered his face with his hands. Fearful that any other actions could lead him to despoil Miss Austen, he prayed to a God long absent from his life, imploring him to come to his aid.

Not for himself, but for the pure, good Miss Austen.

Jane lay in the bed, intensely aware of the soft fabric of her nightgown as it caressed her body. She had been turning and tossing trying to find a position that would lead to sleep, but to no avail. Each time she lay still, eyes closed, she saw Gabriel Augustine. His laughing, teasing eyes, his tousled hair, his lips as they moved to her to kiss her. Then she felt the lips, the tongue, and remembered the fire she felt during the kiss.

She flopped over onto her stomach with a grunt. This would not do, she thought. She started to whisper the books of the Bible, and when she made it to
Revelations
she started over. Three times she recited the books, before turning to the familiar prayers in the
Book of Common Prayer
. She fervently prayed every prayer she could remember. They began to lose meaning upon the second time through, but the familiar cadence began to work its magic and she felt her body begin to relax.

She sighed.

And saw the image of Gabriel on horseback, his long legs straddling the beast, his broad shoulders straining the coat, his strong hands holding the reins.

Genesis, Exodus . . .

Prayer failing him, Gabriel got up and paced the room. Somewhere in this house, he knew Miss Austen was asleep in a bed, her head resting upon goose-down pillows, a thin nightgown covering her soft, warm body, gentle breaths escaping from between puckered lips. His pacing became more rapid, and with each trip around the room he removed one garment, with the thought of soon trying for the oblivion of sleep. By the time he was wearing only his shirt, he felt a degree more relaxed, and considered falling into the bed. He looked down at the hem of the shirt, falling to just above his knees, and laughed at the state in which he still found himself. Obviously the erection was going nowhere, but he could not allow it to rule his actions.

Gabriel glanced at the bed, then over at the door. He knew he should try to sleep, though he only slept a couple of hours a night now. But sleep would be the safest alternative at this point. Again he laughed. In his state of blood satiety, sleep would not happen.

His eyes went to the door, and he again imagined opening it, walking down the hall, and finding the delectable Miss Austen in her bed.

Thirty minutes later, Gabriel was pleased with himself as he lay in his own bed. Still fully alert with little hope for sleep, he forced himself to stay where he was. He would make sure Miss Austen remained safe from the monster tonight. His thoughts turned to tomorrow’s ride. At least he had that time with her to look forward to.

Smiling, with the pleasant images in his mind, he heard something outside his door and sat up, alerted. By the light of the one candle still burning in the room he could just make out the doorknob and watched as it slowly turned. The door opened a crack, then stopped. Staying where he was he waited for further movement, and several seconds later the door opened a few more inches. A face appeared in the opening, peeking into the room. All Gabriel could ascertain in the brief second it was there was that it was a woman with long dark hair cascading over the top of what appeared to be a nightgown.

More than a little intrigued, he wanted to leap up and run to the door and see who was daring to open the door to his bedchamber, but instead he remained motionless, waiting. A full minute went by before the figure opened the door fully, stepped inside, and quickly shut the door behind her.

In the flickering candlelight, he took in the vision that surely had to be a hallucination, for it could not possibly be reality. The woman was wearing her thin, white nightgown opened at the throat, waving brown hair falling over her shoulders and covering her breasts, feet bare. Even from where he sat Gabriel could see she was shivering.

“Miss Austen.”

A small sound was all the affirmation he would get.

The desire to run to her, throw her on the bed, and make love to her was overwhelming, and it took reserves of determination he did not know he possessed to stay where he was.

Jane was breathing deeply, breasts rising with each inhalation. Still she stood by the door, unmoving and silent, eyes fixed on Gabriel’s.

One bare foot took a step away from the door, toward the bed, but then she stopped again. Under her breath, she muttered, “Oh dear.”

Then she ran across the floorboards, crawled up onto the high bed, and pressed herself against him. His arms went around her and he held her tight.

“Oh yes,” she cried.

“Miss Austen?” Gabriel whispered into her ear.

Her answer was a kiss, a hungry kiss, a kiss that had no pure intentions in it.

He broke it off momentarily, to allow himself to look into her face. Her eyes remained closed, and her breaths were rapid and shallow, lips parted awaiting his return. Gabriel took her face gently in his hands.

“Miss Austen . . . Jane. Please look at me.”

Her eyes slowly opened partway. Unfocused, they sought out his eyes. Gabriel moved his hands from her face to her shoulders, one of which was bare, the neckline of the gown having slipped off her shoulder.

“Are you sure this is what you want?”

She nodded quickly and sighed.

“But, you have never been with a man, have you, Jane?”

Jane’s eyes opened fully now, as she slowly shook her head.

“You deserve a man who will be gentle with you for your first time, and I cannot promise that. I’m afraid I would not be capable of being as gentle as you will require.”

Panic showed on her face. Her eyes were open wide, her mouth slightly open.

“It is all right. I will not hurt you, if you hurry back to your room. We shall pretend this visit never happened.” Even as he spoke, he wondered at his ability to say the words.

“No!”

Her mouth was back on his, her tongue exploring his mouth, his lips, his tongue.

Gabriel sighed. The poor woman was making a dangerous mistake. And even as he tried one last time to make himself stop, he knew he wouldn’t be stopping.

He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, then took the hem of Jane’s gown and lifted it up over her thighs, hips, abdomen, breasts, and off over her head. Her virginal body was soft and curvy and smooth. Pink nipples stood out from round, full breasts, and he bent over to kiss each of them. This little touch elicited a quick intake of breath followed by a small squeal from Jane.

Gabriel pressed Jane down onto the bed and leaned over her. This lovely woman needed to be made love to properly, and he wanted to give her every pleasure he could, but he feared himself incapable. The monster in him was taking the upper hand and once that demon ruled him he wouldn’t be able to control his desires and needs.

He would fight it. He had no choice.

Starting with a gentle kiss on her mouth, he moved his lips to her neck then breasts. He lifted each arm to kiss her wrists and the soft, tender inside of her elbows, where he paused to inhale her scent, as he pressed his lips to the sweet skin. His tongue traced down the center of her abdomen, from breasts to pubic bone. Each touch made Jane squirm and make little noises. He looked up at her after circling her navel with his tongue, and saw her lick her lips. The sight elicited a deep groan from Gabriel.

All he wanted at that moment was to take her, plunge himself deep into her, and relieve the overwhelming need. He could. She would feel the pain of losing her maidenhood, but what would that matter to him when he was in the throes of his own ecstasy?

Fighting to wrest control from the monster, Gabriel leaned into Jane and laid his head on her breasts. Her arms went around him, holding him tight to her, and he could feel her lips kissing the top of his head.

Holding him like this, Jane shifted one leg and wrapped it around his thighs, and he moved between her legs. He lifted his head and kissed her, alternately kissing her lips and gently biting them. Even as he did so, he knew what risks he was taking, the danger inherent in his foolish actions.